1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for sampling individual rod-like articles of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular filter cigarettes, from an article massflow via a sampling unit. The articles in the article massflow are arranged longitudinally and axially parallel to each other and the article massflow is conveyed along a linear, preferably horizontal, conveying section with a predetermined conveyor speed, preferably continuously. Moreover, embodiments of the invention relate to performing the method with a multi axis robot.
2. Discussion of Background Information
After the manufacturing of filter cigarettes, e.g., on a filter tipping machine, the completed filter cigarettes are conveyed in a massflow, in which filter cigarettes are stacked on top each other, on a conveyor to a cigarette reservoir or to a finishing machine, e.g., a packing machine. In order to monitor the production of the filter cigarettes and to perform a quality control, individual filter cigarettes from the production line can be removed at set time intervals in order to check them in a separate testing station with respect to dimensions of the material and/or other relevant criteria. To achieve this, individual filter cigarettes are removed from the tightly packed massflow with filter cigarettes. This sampling of test cigarettes from the massflow can be executed manually by the operating personnel. Moreover, a sampling unit for withdrawing test cigarettes from the article massflow is known from German Patent Application No. DE 38 12 039 A1.